CASP9 and hypertensive disorder: To further understand the cardiac mitochondria-dependent apoptotic signaling pathways in the coexistence of hypertension and ovariectomy, we measured the protein levels of t-Bid, Bak, Bad, Bax, cytochrome c, activated caspase 9 and activated caspase 3 in the left ventricles excised from the WKY, SHR-Sham and SHR-OVX groups by Western blotting.